Improvement in animal-traps



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. M. HAWKINS.

Animal-Trap.

No. 221,304. Patented Nov. 4,1879.

ATTORNEYS ".FETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C,

. 2 sheets Sheret 2. J. M. HAWKINS.

ni'mal' T'm Patented. Nov. 411879.

ll/Ill!!! WITNESSES flag %W PETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WAsmNGTuN, D c.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH M. HAWKINS, OF UNION, WEST VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ANlMAL-TRAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221.30%, dated November 4, 1879; application filed August 2, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosErH M. HAWKINS, of Union, in the county of Monroe and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this spr oitication, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a front view with the shield removed, and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section.

My intention relates to animal-traps, designed to catch rats, mice, rabbits, quail, and the like.

My improvement consists in drawing the game into a suitable compartment by means of rakes or scrapers connected with a revolvil'lg door, the said door being set by means of a tilting platform, and being adapted to perform a halfrevolution each time that the trap is sprung through the medium of coiled springs and catches, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Let A designate the box which contains the operative mechanism of my improved trap; B, the compartment for retaining the game which has been caught, and O a door through which the said game may be shaken or drawn out. Gr designates the rotary door, which is pivoted upon a rod,d, and ethe tilting platform,which is pivoted upon a rod,f, both the rods d and)" being arranged to pass through the sides of the box, as shown.

The box is open at its front end, and the door G formed with an area about equal to the area of said opening; and the said box is also formed with an open bottom, so that when the platform is hung or pivoted as shown it will close the same.

Between the sides of the box and the door are arranged coiled springs h h, the inner ends of said springs being secured to rod (7, and their outer ends to suitable bolts secured upon the inner walls of the box. In order to wind up these springs, the ends of rod 01 extend through the box, and are squareshouldered for the reception of keys In order to prevent the springs from uncoilin g after they have been wound up, I form a central opening, 70, through the door G, and mount within said opening, and upon rod (1, a notched wheel, I, and I secure upon the door springs I, so that upon a reverse motion the rotation of the rod and wheel will be arrested, said device being in effeet a spring-pawl and ratchet.

M, designates a vertical rod arranged at the rear of compartment B, and having its lower end adapted to rest upon the tilting platform, near its rear end. This rod connects at its upper end with a horizontal rod, 11, the said latter rod being pivoted within a groove, 0, formed through the upper side of the box. This rod 'n is formed with a shoulder, a, for the purpose presently explained.

The platform cis provided with a catch or stop, p,in such position that when the trap is set the lower interior edge of the rotary door will rest against the same,while the upper and inner edge of the door will rest upon the shoulder a of the rod n. Hence neither exterior nor interior pressure upon the door will move the same until the trap is sprung, as presently'set forth.

The interior of compartment B is lined with suitable sheet metal, and the door is covered upon both of its sides with curved metal plates q. At each end of the door I pivot a rake or scraper bar, 8, each of the said scrapers being formed of a rectangular-shaped metal strip, so pivoted as that when the door is set in a vertical position the lower one shall project in advance of the door, while the upper one projects into the box in rear of the door, as shown.

The operation is as follows: The springs upon rod (1 are wound up by turning the keys, and, by reason of the pawl and ratchet above referred to, the same will be kept from uncoiling, except as the door is rotated. The door is kept from rotation by the stop upon the tilting platform, and in this position the trap will be set, it being observed that the rake which is in front of the door is over a platform or projecting portion of the bottom of the box. Suitable bait is placed in front of the door and within the space of the rake, so that when an animal steps upon the platform in order to obtain the same it will invariably step upon the tilting platform, and thereby tilt the same sufficiently to free the catch or stop 19 from the door. At this juncture the springs will cause the door to make a rapid semi-revolution upon its bearing, and at the same time the scraper will draw the animal back into the compartment designed to receive it. \Vhen the door has nearly completed its half-revolution the end which comes uppermost strikes against the forward end of the pivoted rod n, and in thereby elevating the same causes aconsequent depression of its rear end. This, in turn, forces down the "ertical rod M, which rests upon the rear end of the tilting platform, thereby depressing said end until the platform lies in a horizontal plane. At the completion of the half-revolution of the door its lower end abuts against the stop upon the platform, which has been again elevated sufficiently for said purpose by the system of rodsjust described. The upper end of the door just passes by and rests upon shoulder a of the rod a, which swings down suificiently for such purpose after the door has passed it, and. the rake, which was before within the box, having been swung round with the door, assumes a position in pivoted rod n, with shoulder a, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH MARION HAWKINS.

Vitnesses:

A. N. CAMPBELL, J. H. BALLINTINE. 

